Hamlet (The Madman?) Essay

                “Great wits are sure to madness near allied, and thin partitions do their bounds divide.” John Dryden never said this in direct regards to Hamlet; however, the analysis seems appropriate in regards to the debate regarding Hamlet’s sanity. Dryden states that there’s a thin line between genius and madness which makes it difficult to classify Hamlet as one of the two. Through careful analysis, I have come to a conclusion. Hamlet is sane in every aspect of the play. In all the available instances where Hamlet could easily lose sophistication and integrity, Hamlet consistently reserves himself appropriately and intelligently. Whether it be his soliloquy “To Be Or Not To Be,” his hallucinations and conversations with his deceased father, or his murderous revenge act towards Claudius, Hamlet uses rational, logic, critical thinking that classifies him as a genius.

                Hamlet’s speech of “To Be Or Not To Be,” demonstrates Hamlet’s sanity in his stream of consciousness contemplating whether to live actively or die passively. He provides a deeper understanding to just living through life unaware and uninterested. Hamlet brings awareness that just going through the motions of everyday life in a state of mind that is asleep to reality is cowardly and not truly living at all. Hamlet’s idea of death is living cowardly and not killing Claudius like his father, the Ghost, instructed. This goes on to say that Hamlet’s rational of the importance of nobility, honoring family, and the true meaning of life poses Hamlet as a contemplative character with a greater insight into society’s ways. Shakespeare also uses Hamlet’s haunting Ghost as a symbol of Hamlet’s conscience. While the audience sees Hamlet as a lost teenager who is blabbing on and on about life and death and talking to Ghosts, they immediately characterize Hamlet as suicidal and crazy. On a deeper note, Hamlet is providing a greater idea of what life truly is and is able to conclude that idea of living cowardly is not living at all so he decides to live nobly by respecting his father’s orders.

                Death is an occurring theme in Hamlet. Hamlet’s father is killed from the beginning, Polonius is killed in Act Three, and the rest of the play revolves around a revenge murder plot towards Claudius. In no way is murder genius, but in every way does Hamlet go about his murder plot as a genius. Hamlet introduced his intelligent act of murder in his statement to Claudius, “The tim is out of joint: O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right.” Hamlet’s decision to act as a sociopath in order to obtain information, pragmatic for his murder plot towards Claudius, is genius. Hamlet reserves himself from lashing out at Claudius several times. Take Act IV Scene II for example, when Claudius’s back is turned from Hamlet in prayer. After Claudius’s murder towards Hamlet’s father, act of infidelity with Hamlet’s mother, and unjust authority as King, the normal reaction would be to take advantage of the opportunity of revenge. Hamlet appropriately reserves himself and reflects on the idea of Claudius attending Heaven due to getting murdered during prayer. This demonstrates Hamlet’s integrity and critical thinking skills. Hamlet’s analysis of society serves useful in his revenge plot. He outwits society in a humble manner.

                Society may see Hamlet as a madman, but the audience is able to see Hamlet insight and out and understand that he is actually a genius. Hamlet’s soliloquy of To Be or Not To Be provides a critical analysis of Hamlet’s idea of genuine living and serves as a rational deciding whether to take part in right from wrong. The death of Hamlet’s father and infidelity between Claudius and Hamlet’s father gives Hamlet every reason to be irrational and lash out in anger. However, Hamlet, after continuous thought, decides to take advantage of acting crazy in the effort to reveal Claudius’s murder of Hamlet’s father and send him to his death in revenge. In no way is Hamlet’s idea of murder sane. If it was, the world would a bloody mess. However, in every way is Hamlet’s act in the murder genius.